I’m really having a LOT of wistful feelings about phasing out of the Small Space Squad… especially because, through it, I’ve discovered some truly amazing and talented people. It’s really allowed me to open my eyes (and this blog) to different aesthetics, personal goals, and lifestyles. I hope you’ve had that WOW moment, too, during the evolution of this blog series. And I hope you’ll join me in one more WOW experience because the home of Tanika Rottura definitely deserves it. Let’s take a peek into her eclectic, brightly hued world!

Home Tour: Inside The Eclectic & Curated Home of Tanika Rottura
Who: Tanika Rottura
Where: Upper East Side, Manhattan, NYC
Number of years spent living small: 7 years in our apartment

To start, tell me your story about how you ultimately ended up choosing a small space?
To start, we had a vacation house in PA for 10 years that we built from scratch and it was the biggest place we owned together (1,648 square feet) and maintaining it took up most of our time. We decided to sell it and buy an apartment in Manhattan that had a staff and amenities. I love having less to clean and decorating is so fun in a small apartment.
What is your biggest challenge in your small space?
Storage space can be challenging for me as I love to switch things up a bit.

What is your favorite part about living small?
Less to clean up and worry about
What is your number one hack for living small?
Our IKEA Malm shelving units saved our lives

Do you ever feel pressure to be “minimalistic” or feel guilty about buying things you don’t “need” for your home?
I try to be as minimal as possible but I think I’m between maximalist and minimalist; is there a word for this?
What have you learned about yourself by living small?
I keep things in order and have a great system for storing items.

What’s your number one storage hack?
The drawers under our bed and my clear locker cube
Who is your biggest small space inspiration?
I love Libertine designer Johnson Hartig’s LA home
What do your friends and family say about your choice to live small?
They will love any space that I decorate because I know how to make it work. Having style is key.

Thank you so much to Tanika Rottura for giving us a peek into your amazing home! Be sure to follow her Instagram feed for more inspiration.
You can find even more Small Space Squad Home Tours here:
- Kristina Rasmussen
- Wild and Pine
- Sun Soul Style
- Anne Sage
- Jess Ann Kirby
- Sara Toufali
- The Gold Hive
- Den For Our Cubs